SPECIAL OFFERING DURING 2025 CONVENTION:  

In partnership with the University of Missouri VMDL, the MVMA is offering Human Rabies Titer Testing in the exhibit hall at the 133rd Annual MVMA Convention.

Appointments are available both Friday and Saturday during exhibit hall hours on Friday 9:30am-3:30pm and Saturday 9:30am-2:15pm.  Walk-in service may be available, however, appointments will be given priority.

Payment for the titer testing will be required at the time of service. Each test is $47. (Payment will be collected on-site to the MU-VMDL.)

CLICK HERE for more info and to sign up.

MVMA Human Rabies Program Overview

As a service to our members, the MVMA has established partner relationships with MU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VMDL) to provide access to rabies protection.

VMDL Rabies Titer Testing Guide

TITER PROGRAM

If you wish to submit a sample, MVMA member cost is $42 (Non-member DVM $47) and you will contact the VMDL for specimen, submission form, packing, and shipping instructions. 

RFFIT Submission Form

If you wish to purchase a Rabies Titer test kit, you can order it from the VMDL. The kit(s) will be sent to you at the cost of $52/kit for each MVMA member (Non-member DVM $59). This fee covers the cost of the kit and the laboratory services. The kit contains all materials, forms, instructions and packaging for drawing a blood sample and sending it to the VMDL laboratory.

BOOSTER SHOT PROGRAM

If you should need a booster shot, determined from the Titer test above, or through another Titer testing program for which you have documentation, you can order your Rabies booster shot by contacting:

•  KC Health Department, Pre & Post Exposure, 816-513-6128 - call for appointment
• Walgreens Pharmacy – prefer you have prescription for each vaccine (day 0, 7, and 21)
• Travel Connections, Columbia, MO - Debbie Kaplan, 573-882-8788 (Will only vaccinate for travel reasons)
• Passport Health St. Louis – 314-997-8100
• MU Students can get the series done at the Student Health Center – 573-882-7481
• Your Primary Care Doctor

Note: Going to your local physician would be the most expensive route.  You can also go to a “travel clinic,” which often provide rabies vaccine in addition to other travel-related vaccinations.  Search for the nearest “travel clinic” with a search engine.  Rabies vaccinations from these clinics are not cheap (it never is), but this may be much less expensive than the physician route. 

In the past, the KC Health Department has offered rabies vaccinations at a good price.  They have an “adult and travel immunizations fee schedule HERE. This still included rabies vaccinations as of 7/5/2022.  

It has been suggested that your re-titer 8 weeks after a booster is given to confirm titer.  

TITER GUIDELINES

The CDC’s recommendation is for veterinarians to have a serum sample tested for Rabies Titer every two years based upon a risk categorization of ‘at risk for frequent exposure’.

The CDC has guidelines published at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5703a1.htm (Human Rabies Prevention---United States, 2008. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices)